Beehive



A. W. GEAHEART.

Bee Hive. No. 27,?22. 4 Patented Feb. 14, 1860.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AARON W. GEAHEART, OF BEALLSVILLE, OHIO.

BEEHIVE.

Specification of Letters Patent No.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON W'. GEAHEART,

i of Beallsville, in the county of Monroe and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Beehives; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and eXact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specilication, Figure 1 being a front elevation of a hive or brood-box provided with my improvement; Fig. 2, a plan of the platform or bottom on which the sides of the hive rest; Fig. 3, a central vertical section of the hive; Fig. 4, a plan of the under side thereof without the bottom or platform.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all the ligures.

Any ordinary hive, or brood boX, A, may be used; and in order to present as little surface, at the bottom as possible, where the moth-miller may deposit its eggs, the lower edges thereof are usually more or less beveled or chamfered, from the inside outward, as shown in Fig. 3. A strip a, of copper, is secured closelyto the lower edges of the hive, and a corresponding strip secured to the platform, or bottom, B, that supports the hive. A band c, of zinc, rests vertically be tween these strips of copper, and is kept in place by small pins d, CZ, projecting downward from the lower edges of the hive, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, or in any other convenient manner. The edges of the lower strip Z), may be bent up, as shown, so as to form a trough, that may receive and retain water, or any other solution or substance, if desired, or necessary, to enhance the gal vanic action of the metals.` But the dew and dampness of the night, and rainy days, 'willA generally be found suiiicient to produce the requisite galvanic action with the metals, since a slight current of electricity is found suflicient for the purpose. And since the moth miller usually strives to enter at night, the increased action of the galvanic current, at that time, will generally prevent its entrance at all. The positions of the copper and zinc may be exchanged; and any other metals or substances that will produce a like result, may be used, instead of these metals.

27,122, dated February 14, 1860.

The arrangement may also be dilferent from that described, provided it accomplishes the same purpose by galvanic agency.

Notches or apertures 72 12 (Fig. 3,) are made in one side of the band c, for the egress and ingress of the bees. A sliding door c, fits over this side of the band, (as shown most clearly in Fig. 1,) having notches or apertures f, f, corresponding with those in the band. This door is pivoted to the lower end of a vibratory lever D, which turns on a fulcrum in its center. Cords z', z', are attached respectively to the upper end of said lever, and to the end of the sliding door, as represented in Fig. 1, and extend therefrom through eyes in a standard E, at a distance from the hive, so that by drawing the proper cord, the door may opened or closed, at pleasure, without approaching near enough to disturb the bees, or to be troubled by them. Small holes g, g, in the sliding door, between the notches f, f, allow suiilcient ventilation to the interior of the hive, when the door is closed. This sliding door is intended to be closed at night, to assist in excluding the moth miller; and also for the purpose 0f confining the bees in the hive when desired. It is to be opened again in the morning, or at all proper times. Between the brood box and the honey boxes, may also be placed a similar arrangement of metallic strips and bands, for the same purpose as herein specified. By this arrangement, and application of galvanic agency, the moth-miller is prevented from depositing its eggs in or about the base of the hive, or where the arrangement is applied.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the strips a, b, and c, so as to produce a galvanic current between the hive and its platform or other support in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

In testimony that the above is a true specication of my improved beehive I hereunto set my hand this 9th day of May 1859.

AARON W. GEAHEART.

Witnesses:

W. G. WEBB, HENRY H. LoHMrRE. 

